Bolden works the path between 76ers and G-League

New York – It’s more than two hours before a 1pm tip-off at Madison Square Garden and Jonah Bolden looks like he’s already been working out for a while. Bolden is running through drills with the assistant coaches – pick-and-rolls, pick-and-pops, corner threes and more.

For Bolden, whose journey to the NBA has been anything but linear, the extra work on his game is what’s allowed him to overcome going back-and-forth from the G-League and the NBA, to being able to fit right in and play some important minutes for the 76ers over the past few weeks.nfl cheap nike jerseys

“We’re doing a lot of film so we’re seeing what we’re lacking, where our weaknesses are; that’s helping me – going through film, and playing a little more in the rotation with the guys so it’s starting to come together,” Bolden tells ESPN after the team’s win over the Knicks – a game in which he pulled down nine boards, tying his career-high.

Bolden’s professional career began in Serbia playing for FMP Belgrade. He showcased enough of his versatile game while there to pique the interest of a number of NBA teams, but it was the Philadelphia 76ers who decided to take a chance on the 6’10 forward by selecting him with the 36th pick overall of the 2017 NBA draft. Feeling like he needed some time to develop his skills, the Sixers decided to stash him for a season, and Bolden ended up with Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv before being offered a four-year deal by Philadelphia this past summer.cheap nfl jerseys nike china

The four-year deal – of which two years are fully guaranteed – shows the team has faith in the Australian, but early on, Bolden spent a lot of time being shuffled back-and-forth between the NBA and the team’s G-League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats.

It was but one more obstacle to overcome for Bolden on the road to cracking an NBA rotation. To the outside world, the back-and-forth may seem like a hindrance, but Bolden says he understands that system is supposed to aid in player development.